There's something about writing. . .

Hello everyone! It's been ages since I blogged, and for that, I'm sorry! (>_<)

Once I missed the whole A to Z Challenge in April, I kind of stopped. Because, lets face it, I"m actually a rather boring person to write about. Sure, I think my stories are plenty exciting, but my real life is very very BORING. Why else does a writer write? I think its to fulfill achievements they couldn't otherwise fulfill in real life.

I like that line. Sounds awesome. Note to self: Somehow try to incorporate that line whenever I blog.

*Phew* Now that that's out of the way, what to say? Hmmm. . . .

I got nothing.

So I'll end this little post with asking the few of you who follow my blog this question:

What do you think I should talk about in this blog?

I'll be looking forward to your answers! 


~Krystal 

M is fro Megara

So I'm behind a day, but thats okay! I've almost caught up, so here is M for Megara!

Megara, Hercules 

Megara (Meg) was first introduced in the 1997 film, Hercules. She is beautiful, seductive, independent and quick-witted, but she also is afraid to fall in love again. She knows she has sex appeal and uses it to her advantage to get Hercules to do what she wants. She sold her soul to Hades to save her boyfriends life, only to have him leave her right afterwards. Because of this, she is forced to do Hades's bidding and she thinks lowly of men.


Why I like her:

Meg is a very mature disney girl. You see that most of the Princesses are pretty naive and even gullible, but Meg is very head strong. She doesn't want to fall in love and she even helps the villain of (mostly) her own free will. And I love that she doesn't instantly fall in love with Hercules either. She has to grow to know him just like you would see in real life. Plus, she very witty and sarcastic, has a lot of attitude and sass, and she's just fun to watch!


Fun Fact: Meg's song 'I Won't Say I'm In Love' was originally supposed to be a ballad song called 'I Can't Believe My Heart', but the writers thought that it wasn't Meg's style.


And now, I leave you with a quote:

"Thanks for everything, Herc. It's been a real slice. "

L is for Lady Tremaine

Today is L so I decided to pick a villain this time. And I figured that a not so recognized villain would be good. So here is Lady Tremaine.

Lady Tremaine, Cinderella

Lady Tremaine is from the main villain in the movie Cinderella. She is obsessed with giving her two daughters everything while she takes away from and forces Cinderella into servitude. She Tries her best to properly train her daughters in all the high class ways of the court. She prevents Cinderella from going to the Prince's ball and when she discovers that it was Cinderella who enchanted the Prince, she locks her away in her room. 

Why I Like Her:

Lady Tremaine is a very underrated villain. She's the most realistic and does everything for her daughters instead of herself. In that aspect, she really is a caring mother, but she is still someone you do not want to cross. I mean, in the sequels she takes the fairy godmothers wand and changes everything! She is definitely someone you do NOT want to mess with. 

Fun Fact: The carriage that Cinderella and the Prince take after the wedding has an emblem of a sword and two hidden Mickey Mouse heads around it. 

And now, I leave you with a quote:

"Oh. Well, don't just stand there. Bring up the breakfast trays at once, and hurry! "

K is for Kiara!

Today is the letter K (which is also the letter of my first name!) And for the letter K, I've decided to pick a character from a Disney sequel. Normally, I don't like Disney sequels, but I really enjoyed this one! So without further a due, I give you all Kiara!

Kiara, Lion King 2: Simba's Pride

Kiara is the daughter of Simba, and one of the main characters in The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (1998). The story tells of Kiara and the son of a banished group of lions who sided with Scar, Kovu.Though they only meet once as cubs, they are brought together again once they are grown up. Kovu has been trained to be the killer of Simba and they plan to get to him through Kiara. However, he soon grows feelings for the young princess and must chose between his love and his duty. 

Why I like it:

So, I know this movie isn't very popular, but I love it so there! (Nyah! =P) It was one of the first Romeo and Juliet type movies I ever saw and I enjoyed the songs! Of course, as I got older, some of the songs went from awesome to just plain stupid. With the exception of 'He Lives In You' and 'We Are One'. So I really like Kiara. She's prone to trouble like her father, but has the strong headed stubborn streak of her mother and father. Though she is a bit naive, she has a good heart and is just trying to find herself somewhere in her duty as future queen.

Fun Fact: The son of Zira is called Kovu - Swahili for 'Scar'. 'Zira' means hate; the name of Nuka, Zira's hapless elder son, means 'bad smell'. Kovu has no relation to Scar 

And now, I leave you with a quote:

"I'm not just a princess, you know. That's only half of who I am!"

J is for Jack Skellington!

J is the letter of the day, and what better way to celebrate J then with a certain pumpkin king? You guessed it, today I'm talking about Jack Skellington!

Jack Skellington, The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington is from the movie, the Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). In the tale, Jack grows bored of Halloween and discovers the land of Christmas Town. It is then that he comes up with the plan to be Santa Claus this year and have all of Halloweentown take part in it. Though he tries to do good, all his presents are just too scary and it seems Christmas is ruined. Even Santa Clause is kidnapped by the evil Oogie Boogie, and its up to Jack and his friend Sally to save Santa so Christmas can be saved. 

Why I like him: 

Jack, though terrifying, has a good hear (so to speak). He tries to do good for people, even though his methods are completely wrong. He's someone who is trying to break out of his usual routine that everyone expects of him and delve into another part of himself that he had not even known. 

Fun Fact: The Nightmare Before Christmas was originally going to be a part of the Disney Animated Features canon, but was deemed too scary to be released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner. However, in October 2006, the film was re-released in 3-D under the Walt Disney Pictures banner. 

And so, I leave you with a quote:

"My dearest friend, if you don't mind... I'd like to join you by your side. Where we can gaze into the stars."

I is for Ichabod Crane

So, today is the letter I. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to find a Disney Character that begins with I. It was either Iago, or today's spotlight character, Ichabod Crane!

Ichabod Crane, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

Ichabod Crane first made his appearance in the 1949 short, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. He is the school teacher who teaches the children int he town of Sleepy Hollow. He falls in love with Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of a rich farmer, and tries to woo her. It turns out, another man named Brom Bones is also in love with her. At the Van Tassel Halloween party, Ichabod successfully woos Katrina. Angry, Brom tells the tale of the Headless Horseman and his ride on Halloween, in the hopes of scaring Ichabod. He is successful and Ichabod and his horse ride home. They run into the horseman and are chased all around. They reach the bridge where the Horseman can't run and think they are safe. The Horseman throws his pumpkin head at him and Ichabod disappears, leaving only his hat next tot he shattered pumpkin. Its rumored that he ran away and married a wealthy widow, but the citizens of Sleepy Hollow are sure he was spirited away.

Why I like it:

Honestly, the story used to scare the crap out of me when I was little. I mean, a Headless Horseman chasing people around and making them disappear? Scary! But now that I'm older, I can see all the comic relief th at and fun they put in the story. Plus, Ichabod doesn't say a single thing during the whole movie! If its not the narrator talking, its Brom. Plus, Ichabd has such a funny body type and is kind of an A$$-hole, but he's still popular with the ladies! Add a bit of his hilarious dance moves, and you've got yourself one very entertaining character!

Fun Fact: Disney's original title for the movie was, "Two Fabulous Characters." Apparently, the only reason these two stories are linked together is the fact that their main characters are "prone to disaster".

And so, I leave you with a quote:

"Don't try to figure out a plan. You can't reason with a headless man."

H is for Horace Horsecollar!

H is the letter of the day today! And I've decided to give a small salute to classic Disney today! So without further a due, I present Mr. Horace Horsecollar!

Horace Horsecollar 

 

Horace Horsecollar first appeared in the cartoon "The Plowboy" in 1929, as the horse Mickey Mouse used to plow his fields. He, along with his girlfriend Clarabelle Cow, are anthropomorphic characters, constantly switching between being an animal and more human-like. He is a regular member of the Disney supporting cast. Horace is a cheerful know-it-all who tends to think before he acts, getting the rest of the cast into trouble. He was even depicted as a the close comic friend of Mickey Mouse before Goofy was created.

Why I like him: 

Again, this is another highly under rated character, forgotten over time. Only recently has he started to return into the television, making cameo appearances in some of the Mickey Mouse movies, video games, and tv shows. I've always found his character to be completely funny. I like him better then Goofy! I mean, he acts silly (well, he is a cartoon character), but he doesn't having that annoying stupidity that Goofy has. Pluse, he's a horse! Which is like, one of my favorite animals! 

Fun Fact: In the 1990s, Horace was intended to star in a new TV series to be created for the Disney Afternoon, titled Maximum Horsepower, intended to explain his disappearance from the shorts after the 1930's ended. In it, he was abducted by aliens and told to save their planet. It never got very far.

And now, I leave you with a quote: 

"Oh, that'd be just jim-dandy!"

G is for Grandmother Willow!

So today is the letter G, so I decided to pick a character from a (surprisingly) not so popular movie. And the character herself is also overlooked in many ways, so I thought I'd honor her here.

Grandmother Willow, Pocahontas 

Grandmother Willow makers her first appearance in the 1995 film, Pocahontas. She is a wise old willow tree serving as a guide to Pocahontas, counseling her on the strange dreams she's been having. She encourages Pocahontas to listen to the spirits of the earth and helps her figure out a way to be with John Smith and stop the fighting between their people. 

Why I like her: 

Grandmother Willow is wise, funny, and very caring. She does all in her power to help Pocahontas. Plus,she's a talking willow tree, how cool is that? She even does her share of butt kicking in the movie to scare off two english settlers. Add her funny lines and thought provoking words, and you got a fun and yet deep character. 

Fun Fact: In the very first draft of the script the character of "Grandmother Willow" was written as a male character who was the spirit of the river, the character was named "Old Man River". The song "Just Around the Riverbend" was written for this character to be sung. 

And now, I leave you with a quote: 

"Don't be frightened, young man. My bark is worse than my bite."

F is for Fox and the Hound!

So Today is the letter F and while there are plenty of F lettered characters, I decided to go with a movie instead. And what better movie then the classic Fox and the Hound?

Fox and the Hound

Fox and the Hound was released in 1981, loosely based off of the 1967 novel The Fox and the Hound by Daniel P. Mannix. The story is about an orphaned fox (Tod) baby raised by a kind old woman befriending a hunting dog (Copper). Though the two try to be friends, they find themselves forced to be enemies. 

Why I like it:

This is beautiful tale about friendship really makes me smile and cry. The two want to be friends, but find that fate has made it unrealistic. Still, the animation along with the story is adorable. Add in the life or death struggles and tear jerking life changing moments, and you have a sad movie. The message I think is up for anyone's interpretation. 

Fun Fact: The Bear's snarl is the same snarl as Shere Khan the tiger from The Jungle Book and Brutus and Nero the crocodiles from The Rescuers. 

 

 

And now, I leave you with a quote: 

 

 

"Tod: Copper, you're my best friend. 

Copper: And you're mine too, Tod.
  Tod: And we'll always be friends forever. Won't we? 

Copper: Yeah, forever."

E is for Eeyore!

Today, I will be talking about my favorite donkey. Eeyore! What can I say about Eeyore? He's Emo and a donkey. And yet I just can't help but love this little donkey!

Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh

Eeyore first appeared in the in the Winnie the Pooh books by A. A. Milne, published in 1926. Eeyore is a pessimistic donkey, gloomy, depressed, grey plush donkey who is a friend of Pooh. Some of the Winnie the Pooh stories revolve around Eeyore, such as: finding his lost tail, throwing him a birthday party, and discpvering how he ended up floating down the river. 

Why I like Eeyore: 

Though he is indeed a very pessimistic and depressed character, Eeyore seems the most real out of all the characters.  Plus, even though he looks so sad all the time, I find something very cute about him! He's not overly cute and annoying like the rest of the cast, and I find it hard to hate him. 

Fun Fact: Eeyore's name is an onomatopoeic representation of the braying sound made by a normal donkey, usually represented as "hee haw". 

And now I leave you with a quote: 

 

"Thanks for noticin' me."

D is for Dumbo!

Today I've picked that cute little, 8th Wonder of the World, Dumbo! What with his big ears, bright blue eyes, and clumsy but disposition, how could I NOT pick him?

Dumbo

Dumbo came onto the scene in 1941. Its the story of a little elephant with very big ears and his struggle to survive in the life of the circus. Constantly ridiculed by his fellow elephants and human patrons, Dumbo must overcome what makes him different and discover that what makes him different makes him special. 

Why I like Dumbo: 

Dumbo is such a cute little movie about an equally cute elephant. It has a good message for kids, and its just so ADORABLE! I mean, how can you NOT like the movie? Granted, Dumbo doesn't talk, but what he lacks in communication skills, he makes up with a golden heart and an adorable face. 

Fun Fact:  When the drunken Timothy is sliding down the staircase-shaped bubble Dumbo has blown, his laugh is actually that of Mickey Mouse. Also, when Timothy coughs on Jim Crow's cigar smoke, that cough is also that of Mickey (it was specifically heard in both Giantland and Two-Gun Mickey). 

And now, I leave you with a quote:

"Dumbo! The ninth wonder of the univoise! The woild's only flyin' elephant!"

C is for Clopin!

Today is C so I've picked my favorite gypsy king, Clopin! (There was no way I was gonna do Cinderella, in case you all were wondering.)

Clopin is from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, based on the book bu Victor Hugo. The film was released in 1996. In the Disney version, Clopin is the narrator of the story, telling how Quasimodo came to be the bell ringer of Notre Dame. He is also the leader or Gypsy King' and does all in his power to protect his people. 

Why I like  him: 

Clopin is just a fun character! He's colorful, crazy, and hilarious to watch! He is best known for his ridiculous purple and gold outfit that he wore at the Topsy Turvy Day (or Feast of Fools) parade. His songs are fun, his personality is eccentric, to say the least, and above all else, he cares for his people. 

Fun Fact: When Quasimodo is singing 'Out There', the scene cuts to a busy street. Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) is walking towards the lower right corner of the screen with her nose stuck in a book.

So now, I leave you with a quote: 

"Topsy Turvy! Everything is upsy daisy! Topsy Turvy! Everybody's acting crazy! Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet! That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day!"

B is for Belle

So for B I've decided to do my all time favorite Disney character from my all time favorite movie: Belle from Beauty and the Beast!

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast was made in 1991 in what is known as the Disney Renaissance period. It was the first animated film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar nomination and was the only one until 2010. The song 'Beauty and the Beast' won for Best Original Song and Best Original Score.

The story itself is about a Frnch girl named Belle (french word for beauty) and how she sacrifices her freedom to save her father from a Beast. She learns to love the Beast and breaks the spell cast upon him, returning him to his Princely form. 

Why I Like it:

This story has a beautiful moral: Beauty is only skin deep. Belle looks passed the Beast's ugly exterior and finds the kind and gentle soul of a man, and falls in love. The characters are colorful as are the beautiful animations and backgrounds. The songs are really beautiful and the cast was amazing. 

Fun Fact: The song 'Something There' took the place of another song called 'Human Again', but in the 20 year DVD anniversary edition, the song is completed and placed in the film as originally intended.

So now, I leave with a quote: 

"The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his 21st year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken."

A to Z Challenge!

 
So the A to Z challenge has started up! This is my first time doing anything like this, so I'll admit I'm a little nervous! If any of you are interested, you can still sign up before Monday night HERE

So for the very first day, the letter A and I've decided to stick with A Disney theme for the month! Whether its movies, characters, quotes or fun fact that you didn't know, that's what I'll be sticking to this month! So here's the Disney salute to the letter A!

Alice in Wonderland

 

Alice in Wonderland was made in 1951 based on the children's books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass, both by Lewis Carrol. As the title states, the movie is about a young girl Named Alice who was curious as to where a white rabbit in a red coat carrying a watch was headed. She followed him down the rabbit hole and entered the eccentric world of Wonderland. There, she meets the strange inhabitants of the land such as: The Mad Hatter, March Hare, Door Mouse, Tweetle Dee & Dumb, and The Queen of Hearts. 

 

Reasons Why I Like It:

Its got catchy songs, amazing animation, and an incredible cast! I mean, Kathryn Beaumont had the perfect innocent voice for the character! The comedy always brought a smile, if not a laugh, to everyone's faces. It was one of Disney's finer movies that not only taught good morals, but it kept kids entertained throughout the whole thing! 

Fun Fact: The Cheshire Cat was supposed to have a song called "I'm Odd" but it was eventually cut. Instead, it was replaced by the Cheshire Cat singing lines from the Lewis Carrol poem The Jabberwocky.

So with that, I leave you all with a quote by my favorite smiling cat: 

 'Twas brilig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: / All mimsy were the borogroves, / And the mome raths outgrabe'

For the YA Scavenger contest

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Honestly, as much as I'd love to believe in it, I don't. I think it is a very rare and powerful thing.

There's Nothing More Annoying. . . .

So I've FINALLY got my butt back in gear and have started writing Pale Moon again. I've added a bunch more scenes that I think beef up the overall story. Oh, how I love word fluff! Its all been going good so far. UI've had remotely no problems with hitting brick walls that thrw themselves at me. I'm even writing a scene that I've been wanting to write for AGES. Kudos to me!

So, remember that annoying part that probably drew your attention here in the first place? Well, here it is. My dad's been sick. The stomach flu kind of sick (ew). And my mom has not been too keen on sleeping in the same bed with him, so he's been crashing on the couch. No problem. EXCEPT, that also happens to be the exact time and place I do ALL OF MY WRITING!

Just to clarify, I'm a night owl. I was born at night, I enjoy the night, and its usually when I get my best ideas. So, needless to say, I write at night. Well, since my dad has been sitting there in the living room 'sleeping', I've found it immensely difficult to concentrate! I live in a family of six, so its really difficult for me to find some peace and quiet so I can write. I'm the only one who ever stays up late, so its always been my sanctuary.

But now, I can't really work on anything! I'll normally write 4 to 10 pages per night, but with my dad there, I can barely write half a page! And hes constantly asking me if I'll be done soon or to turn the music down (because who doesn't write with music?). I'm at my wits end with this! I'm finally on one of my favorite scenes, and I can't even write it because he's disrupting my concentration! I can only hope he'll get better soon! I REALLY want to write this ballroom scene!!!!


~Krystal Maestas

Hello!

Hello all! My name is Krystal Maestas and I am YA Author (though not yet published). I hope that I will soon be able to finish writing my book Pale Moon and start sending it out to agents. At the moment, I'm about half way done with my first draft and hope to finish the rest of it in the next month or so. *crosses fingers*

I'm also on Figment.com ( http://figment.com/users/84023-Krystal-Maestas ) where you can read some of my short stories. I use their contest system to challenge myself and my capabilities as a writer, so anyone interested in doing so should definitely check it out!

Well, I'm not entirely sure what else I should say, seeing as how 99.9% of you all won't even read this. But to those of you who happen to come across this Nobody's blog, this is Krystal Maestas signing off!